Why We Need To Stop Rationalizing Our Shoe Collections

via shoephoric.tumblr.com

We all have weaknesses and guilty pleasures that cause our brains to shut down and that stimulate our impulses. For me, this phenomenon occurs when I see an amazing pair of shoes and correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm almost certain that there are many others like me. Every time I spot a pair of shoes, I tell myself that love cannot be denied and I MUST have them. Let me confess that logic does NOT come into play. At least not real logic.

Sometimes I tell myself that I need a pair of sneakers for when I (don't) go to the gym. Occasionally, I'll spot a pair of sky high stilettos and justify them by remembering that it's my best friend's birthday next week and I HAVE to wear something new. Also, I'm 5" feet tall, so a pair of high heels is ALWAYS necessary. Fall is approaching and I obviously need a new pair of knee high leather boots. They are a closet staple, aren't they? The snow devoured last year's pair. Oh well. I also need a lower bootie for those slightly warmer days. Besides, they look ridiculously edgy with my new LBD. If I'm going to go out, I'll definitely need a high heeled version of both. I also need some Sorels for the snow because I don't want to get my nicer boots dirty. Can't make that mistake again. After all, they were a bit pricey.

Does this sound familiar?

If these words have played in your head every time you bought a pair of shoes, you fall into the same category as I do: The Shoe Addict.

How do you overcome it?

To that I respond: Do I have to?

To some of us, the shoe makes or breaks the outfit. With your basic white tee and jeans, that Sophia Webster heel may be all you need to take it from daytime chic to party on the town. While some spend all their money on clothes, all I need is a variety of shoes to dress up or down my simplest looks. Is that such a crime? Maybe trying to rationalize our shoe collections is pointless. Or perhaps we could all use that one perfect sneaker (unless you're my height). Whichever camp you fall under, fashion is NOT about rationale. It's about passion and self-expression. If that takes you straight into the arms of Valentino Rockstud Pumps, who am I to judge?

Perhaps we should all pay more attention to our shoes. Maybe being a shoe addict isn't such a bad thing.

But then again, that's also coming from a shoe addict, so who am I to talk?


Ponder that,

Bella

P.S 15 DAYS UNTIL NYFW

The Black Shoe Problem

We all have a common disease. When it comes to shoes, black is always our first choice. Why? Duh. It matches EVERYTHING. It's a classic. It'll never go out of style. It's a great go-to. Shall I list more obvious reasons?

So what happens to all the other shoes?
They go to all those famous celebrities with enough money to explore other colours.
They go to the bloggers who seek unique pieces that will amp up their outfits.
They go to the shopaholics of the world.

via nymag.com

Why don't we normal folk appreciate a coloured shoe? Are we simply too afraid to try it? What if we all decided that our clothing should remain neutral and our shoes should stand out? (I'd vouch for that)

Now, this is a huge problem because we find ourselves in a sea of black shoes without a colour in sight. And a world with no colour(ful shoes) simply isn't a world!

How do we solve this problem?

Let's make a pact. We should all purchase one pair of impractical shoes in a colour we'd usually never dream of wearing. Remember that anything is possible with a basic black or white tee and jeans and of course, colour blocking skills.

So, what are you afraid of?

Here are some shoes to inspire you:

...

Can Sneakers Be Replacing High Heels? NEVER

After Karl Lagerfeld had his models walk (read: skip) down steps in haute couture and white sneakers, the world stood still for a moment. Everything we thought we knew about fashion came into question. Do models actually need to wear high heels to walk the runway? Can sneakers be worn with dresses and skirts? Will the fashion world finally submit to a more comfortable footwear option?

My answer is most definitely no. I'm a strong advocate of the high heel. In fact, my life mantra is "the higher the better". I'm merely 5 feet tall and I cannot afford to live in sneakers unless I want to be mistaken for a 15 year old. I joke not. Since the age of 16, people have mistaken me for a pre-teen. Back then, I would take advantage of the movie discounts. Today, there are no real benefits to looking younger than my age other than the satisfaction I get when the bouncer cards me and finds out it's not a fake. And that's not even that satisfying.

via stylehints.net

I may love a sneaker as much as the next woman, but I will never give up heels. Sneakers are for taking long walks in the park, going for a run, or working out at the gym. Heels are for hitting the club with your girls, going for a casual drink, or simply deciding you'd like to look fabulous that day. In Montreal, this may be frowned upon, but who cares? Walk like a New Yorker, I say.

Will you let those downcast stares prevent you from looking your best? If women of the early 20th century never dared to wear a heel, where would we be today?

I challenge you to wear a shoe at a moment where your tendency is to hesitate.

Is this occasion fancy enough? Yes, it always is.
Will I look overdressed? Better to be overdressed than underdressed.
Will I be too tall? There is no such thing.
Will people stare? Yes, and so what?
Will they attract attention? Only the good kind.

Take a risk this season and wear those endless pairs of heels piled up in your closet collecting dust. They deserve to be shown off. After all, everything looks better with a pair of high heels.

Bella

Flats Are My Fruits and Vegetables

Let's get this established right from the get-go: I do not believe in trends. Is that a fashion cliché? Perhaps. But it's one that I'm willing to indulge in for the sake of avoiding a more serious faux-pas. I'd also like to let something else off my chest: I prefer fashion-averted girls who stay true to themselves over trend-following fashionistas. Remember ladies, trends are simply there for inspiration. They are NOT the ten commandments.

Now, how does this relate to shoes? Or better yet, how does it relate to fruits and vegetables? Let's just say that the fashion world loves to connect food to fashion. Hence the term, "arm candy".

What are the similarities between fashion and food, you ask?

1. They are both desirable.
2. They share addictive qualities.
3. Everyone has different tastes.
4. They consume us. We consume them. It's a mutually beneficial relationship.
5. They're both associated with guilty pleasures and instant gratification.

Sophia Webster Shoes
via www.shoeera.com

This Spring, the magazines and the media have thrown flats our way, inspiring ladies to give their feet a break, while still looking put-together. For a fleeting moment, I was sold. Three cheers for comfort. The Chanel Haute Couture runway show featured sneakers and the world was revolutionized. Mind-blown as I was, I wasn't falling for this ploy. Pointy-flats elongate the foot, ballet flats are still for little girls, and sneakers are for the gym. Even then, I do Pilates and that requires bare feet. Universally unflattering, what qualities do flats have that heels do not (comfort aside)? In my eyes, flats are merely a necessity created to recuperate the damage done to our poor calloused toes from our stilettos. Like fruits and veggies, they are thrust upon us with the promise of health and an illusion of beauty. But at the end of the day, as the wise Aaron Carter once said "I Want Candy". Heels may destroy your feet to no avail, but they're so darn pretty. At a mere 5 feet tall, I need the extra inches and if it didn't hurt so much, I'd wear them every day. Like candy, high heels exude endorphins (or maybe that's just me) and fill us with incomparable thrill. We just can't get enough.

But then again, I'm a junk food addict, so what do I know?

Bella

Sophia Webster Shoes
via snapette.com

How High Is Too High?

Let's get one thing cleared up. This blog post is not what you think it is. While on the subject of shoes (my current obsession), I'd like to comment on the high heel craze that has taken over the fashion world.

The Wedge.

via Pinterest

Everybody raves about the comfort of wedges, a heel that boasts comfort and challenges ladies to take it higher. Back in the stiletto days, we knew our feet would be destroyed if we went too high. Three inches became the maximum heel height as ladies everywhere returned home from their glamorous events with blistering feet to soak them in a bucket of water. When the wedge entered the ball game, stilettos took the back seat and three inches became a laughable height.

If you're as tiny as I am, five inches is the bare minimum and the rule is: if you can bare it, you better wear it. As heels get higher, we find ourselves wondering: why do tall girls look better in high heels? Why do the shorter ladies look like we're on stilts every time we wear a heel above three inches? Though this remains a reality that we cannot contradict, I'm a bit of a rebel and frankly, my rule is that if you can walk in them, the sky is the limit.

Or Lady Gaga.

via stylelist.com

According to Brian Atwood, "life is short. Heels shouldn't be". And wise words from a brilliant shoe designer should never be ignored. Another quote to live by: "I would hate for someone to look at my shoes and say, 'Oh my god! That looks so comfortable", spoken by Christian Louboutin. Listen to your Louboutins and your Atwoods. They know what they're talking about!

Bella